San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-17
NO REGISTRATION FOR DEMO.
Gratis

the border, is vain cry. IL falls upon
deaf ears. 1t will never penetrate the
chambers of Texas legislation, SO long rs
the democracy can roll up n majority OF
1000 under the provisions OF the present
state constitution, which expressly de-
clares "But nolsw shall ever be enacted
requiring the registration OF the voters
of this state" This declaration is n
standing menance to pure ballot. 1t
stands as barrier In the way OF lawful
voting. It makes easy the colonization
OF voters and opens wide the gates for
the subversien Of the rights OF honest
qualified electors. This act OF the demo-
cratic legislature, with which they cele-
brated their return to power In Texas, Is
Il perpetual testimony to the democratic
hatred and fear OF an honest, well
guarded and equitable ballot. As such,
1t is In striking contrast to the provi-
sions of the constitution OF 1869, In which
the utmost care was taken to hedge the
ballot box around with safeguards as po-
tent as that divinity which doth hedge
king. The constitution Of 1869, so far
from demolishing the bulwarks OF a
clean and righteous ballot, left nothing
uDdone to give the people OF this
state the fullest assurance Of electoral
rights preserved to them In their purity.
Under that constitution 1t was enacted
July IL, 1870 as follows:
From and after the passage Of this act
1t shall be lawful for any citizen residing
in any county, who possesses necessary
constitutional qualifications to entitle
him to register and vote, to appear be-
fore the proper registration officer during
the days Of registration and make oath
and subscribe that he Is citizen; or that
he has declared his intention to become
citizen of the United States; that he
has resided one year In the state Of Texas
and sixty days within the county in
which he offers to register; or that he
was q resident OF the state at the time of
the adoption of the constitution; that he
is twenty-one years ofage and not other
wise disqualified from registering or
voting by any constitutional provision,
and, then to register as voter; and, 1t
shall be the duty OF such registration
officer to register such qualified elector
and give him and furnish him certifi-
cate of such oath or registration.
The same act provides for the opening
OF offices of registration three weeks be-
fore ell, ction; for the proper notification
Of the citizens ten days prior thereto; for
the keeping open of the registers ten con-
secutive days and the hours thereof; for
the delivery of the registration books to
the district clerk Of the comfy, and for
sending certified copies to the state
department. Upon these registrati
lists alone were any qualified to vote,
and the absence of any name from the
register was OF itself a challenge Of the
legality of the vote rendered.
This wholesome law was swept
from the statute book in mad haste
as soon as the democracy secured pos
session of the legislature and In the new
constitution adopted In lieu OF the con-
stitution of 1869, 1t was provided that no
law should ever be enacted requiring
voters in Texas to register. This declar-
alton admits Of but one Interpretation.
The democracy of the Lone Star state
are afraid of a clean ballot box. Let
these letters be written large and plain,
so that he who runs may read. What is
the result. Every municipality 10 the
state is at the mercy of its worst ele-
ments. There lie no check upon illegal
voting, upon colonization, upon any
other fraud subversive OF electoral privi
lege. Every border county lie at the
mercy Of those who can, and will and do
import Mexican voters to poll votes for
those who otherwise would have no
show of an election. Every municipali-
ty and every county near the Mexican
border suffers from this Ubiquitous pro-
hibition Of the constitution of 1876, ant
that infamy is self-perpetuated. Before
any change can he made in this respect,
it will be necessary to have a registra-
tion law pass both houses of the legisla-
ture by a two-thirds vote and be sub
mitted to the people who have no safe
guards against vote swarming across
the border sufficiently strong to carry
out the will of those whose interests lie
In ha Of mi nl
but In the subyersion OF law, order and
all electoral safeguards.
The votes Don to be taken in Germany
for members OF the new reichstag is the
most important one to Germans Of this
generation Of any yet polled. The cleo
tion hinges entirely upon the position of
the candidates on the seven years mill.
tary service and supply bill. The result
Is uncertain. The government party
will be strengthened, but whether suffi
GENTLY so to carry the measure cannot
be determined until the votes are count
ed. Both the clerical and progressive
parties are divided on the policy of the
throne, and only the actual vote can re-
veal to what extent the division has
been carried.
The resolution calling for an investi-
CATION into the methods OF transacting
business in the comptroller's office is
construed into direct attack upon the
late incumbent, WI. Swain, and is very
likely to terminate In no end of a row